Traffic
on the Sanibel Causeway in October was identical to bridge traffic in
October a year ago.

Figures
provided to the City of Sanibel from Lee County, which owns and
operates the scenic causeway, show that 257,307 vehicles cleared the
toll booth on the mainland side in October. That is 337 vehicles
fewer than October 2016, or a scant 0.13 percent.

The
numbers indicate that the island is almost back to normal after
Hurricane Irma, but not quite. This October is the first October
since 2011 that has seen a decrease in causeway traffic. The busiest
October on record came in 2002 when 262,318 vehicles were logged.

While
monthly figures for the causeway can be analyzed individually, using
2017 as any kind of benchmark blew away on Sept. 10 when Hurricane
Irma passed through Lee County. The county suspended toll collection
from the afternoon of Sept. 7 to the evening of Sept. 19, making the
month a footnote for all time in causeway history. September was down
91,109 vehicles over September 2016. September had seen an increase
in traffic for nine straight years before this year.

The
flat numbers from October likely are a combination of people still
battling back from Irma and the city's campaign
to educate visitors and residents alike about the best time
to travel to and travel on the island.

March
remains the causeway's heaviest month year over year. The record
month ever was March 2001 when 373,881 vehicles used the bridge. That
month paved the way for 2001 to become the busiest year ever with
3.46 million vehicles. Last year's total of 3.36 million was 3
percent short of the record and this year wason
pace to be about 3 percent under 2001 until the passage or
Irma.

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